2 Samuel 14:24

24 However, the king added, "He may return to his house, but he may not see my face." So Absalom returned to his house, but he did not see the king.^[a]

2 Samuel 14:24 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 14:24

And the king said
Very probably to Joab, when he informed him of Absalom's being come to Jerusalem:

let him turn to his own house;
depart from the king's palace, where Joab had brought him, and go to his own house, which was in Jerusalem; for here he had one before he fled to Geshur; see ( 2 Samuel 13:20 ) ;

and let him not see my face;
which he ordered, partly to show his detestation of the crime he had been guilty of, and some remaining resentment in his mind at him on account of it; and partly for his credit among some of the people at least, who might think it was a crime so great as not to go unpunished, though others were of a different mind; and also for the greater humiliation of Absalom, who, the king might think, had not been sufficiently humbled for his sin, or had not truly repented of it:

so Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face;
in obedience to his father's orders.

2 Samuel 14:24 In-Context

22 Joab fell with his face to the ground in homage and praised the king. "Today," Joab said, "your servant knows I have found favor with you, my lord the king, because the king has granted the request of your servant."

23 So Joab got up, went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

24 However, the king added, "He may return to his house, but he may not see my face." So Absalom returned to his house, but he did not see the king.

25 No man in all Israel was as handsome and highly praised as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the top of his head, he did not have a single flaw.

26 When he shaved his head-he shaved [it] every year because [his hair] got so heavy for him that he had to shave it off-he would weigh the hair from his head and it would be five pounds according to the royal standard.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit king's face